A charity for victims of sexual violence and abuse has warned people of a spike in attacks in the run-up to Christmas.

Nexus NI, a group that has provided counselling for victims in Northern Ireland for more than 30 years, said such incidents soar over the festive season.

And they urged men and women to be vigilant to predators as the party season gets under way.

Pam Hunter, Chief Executive of Nexus NI, said: “At Nexus NI we usually see a spike in the number of calls over the Christmas period.

“Rape and sexual assault are never the victims fault, however we are urging people to be aware of their personal safety when out socialising and to take sensible precautions like making sure you keep your mobile phone charged and that there is someone who knows where you are and when you will be home.

“Many people mistakenly think that sexual violence is carried out by a stranger that someone has the misfortune of running into on a walk home alone, however in most cases attacks are actually carried out by someone that is known to the victim already.

“We have been working in partnership with the Policing and Community Safety Partnership on the ‘Break the Silence on Sexual Violence’ campaign across the province, to increase awareness and encourage survivors of sexual violence to come forward. For victims of domestic sexual violence Christmas can be the worst time of the year, if you or someone you know has been a victim of sexual violence please reach out and get help, no one has to suffer alone.”

Ms Hunter urged anybody who has been a victim of a sexual attack to contact them, the PSNI, Rowan centre or Sexual Assault Referral Centre on 028 94 424 340.

Nexus has three regional offices in Belfast, Derry, Enniskillen, and 27 outreach sites.